《 It's Been A While 》Steve Rogers X Reader

~ Chapter 26 ~

"Knock knock, Jay." I was sitting at my desk when Natasha entered my office. It's been about a month since I stayed the night at Steve's. Since then, Rumlow has been a lot more "open" about our relationship. He's even changed his status on social media. I felt inclined to change mine as well. Funny how we are just now doing this after, what, 4 and a half years?

He's a lot more touchy around the work environment; giving me hugs, quick kisses, dropping by to give me lunch or to make sure I've taken my vitamins. And if I haven't he'd have some on him. It was 3 times a day now. Yeah, I don't know why either, I just know that not only do I have to keep up this head over heels facade at home, but at work too.

Everyone is whispering about us whenever I walk down the halls. Of course no one says anything to my face, intimidation is key and I can be a b-----. I'm not letting it get to me either. Whatever drama is floating around the work place right now was started by Rumlow. And let's hope he's willing to end it.

Natasha plops herself on my office couch and wastes no time getting to the point of her visit.

"So, you and Rumlow? How did that happen?" I sigh, dreading this question. How was I supposed to answer it anyways?

"How did that man manage to sweep a boss like you right off of her feet?" Natasha teases. I know she means well, but it just wasn't good timing on my part.

"Could we not. I barely have time for myself, let alone gossip about my relationships." I focus on my computer as I felt Natasha silently interrogate me from a far. I swear, that woman is like a human lie detector.

A few moments of quite pass.

"It's not the paradise Rumlow is making it out to be, is it?" Her question catches me off guard as my eyes dart towards her direction. I refocus them on the computer quickly, but nothing slides past Natasha.

"If things get worse, let me know y/n. I will go full on Russian assassin on his ass." I chuckle at her statement. But nothing else. My lips were locked and Rumlow held the keys right on his fingertips.

"Well, I'll be on my way. Let me know when my mission requests are done."

"How did you--" Nat winks at me and I smile.

"Love what you did with your hair by the way. Looks cute on you," I call out as she heads towards the door. She rolls her eyes at me in a playful manner before shutting the door behind her and strutting to her next destination.

It was true that I was working on mission reports for Natasha. I had been getting a flood of requests for special agents like Nat and Clint, especially now that they're widely known as Avengers.

As I'm going through the reports, someone else knocks at my door. Looking up from my desk, I see Rumlow smiling at me. He has a Chick-Fil-A bag in one hand and a drink carrier in the other. I immediately start to act different when I hear his voice. I don't know why. It's like I'm just programmed to do so.

"Here you go, you workaholic," he places the food down on my little table and hands me a drink. I take it from him and take a sip.

"A milkshake?" He nods and gives my cheek a quick peck before digging into his own food. We eat lunch together in my office. He's got my order memorized by now; 12 piece nuggest meal with Polynesian sauce. I should change my order from now on.

After we finish our food and mingle, Rumlow hands me my pill and I take it. I'd better have goddess hair like Thor after all of these pills I'm swallowing.

He leaves soon after he knows I've eaten and taken the pill. I resume filling out reports when Fury's email pops up on my screen. I open it immediately, emails from the Director are highly important. It's two mission requests. One for Natasha and one for Steve.

I look through them and they are practically identical expect for a tiny detail. Natasha was to retrieve
S.H.I.E.LD. information to prevent it from being leaked. And Steve was to help rescue hostages.

I fill them accordingly and head to Natasha first. I find her in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s training room, going at it with a few personnel. I learned most of my sparing techniques from Natasha and used Clint as my partner. Thanks to them, I'm the kickass fighter that I am now.

Nat may or may not have also taught me to not give a shit.

Spotting me, Nat finishes thing quickly and walks over to me.

"Got those reports for me, y/n?" I nod and give her the run down on the mission. After that, I look for Steve to tell him. I find him as I'm walking down to my office, actually. When he spots me his eyes light up and I can't help but be reminded of a golden retriever trotting up to my side.

"I was just looking for you, y/n."

"Same here, Steve." He looks at me confused as I give him his mission. "Fury has a mission for you. There's a boat that was hijacked by Pirates. He wants you to rescue and protect the hostages, some of our employees are among them."

Steve takes everything in and nods.

"It's short notice, you'll leave tomorrow so be prepared. It's a stealth mission so we've designed a suit specifically for this type of work. And if you ask me, it's looks way better than that spandex. No offense."

"None taken," Steve laughs. Me and Steve walk into my office and start our daily afternoon chat. Little did we know, Rumlow had watched me and Steve interacting and didn't like it at all.

"He's in for a rude awakening," he mumbles. "Both of them are."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Preview~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You can come with. You are and Avenger now technically."

"Someone's gotta hold down the fort."

♡